PLANTAIN - Basic Plant First Aid

PLANTAIN

While working with natural soaps over the years, you get a huge appreciation for plants. A lot of weeds are in fact the best things that can happen in your garden. These were originally our treatments for illness pre big Pharma and this knowledge is something we should all get to know again.

Spit poultices can be used for emergency first aid - It is simply made by taking some plant material, chewing it up in your mouth with your own saliva and applying it to the affected area.

Familiarise yourself with common Plantain. It is a low dwelling perennial plant found nearly everywhere in New Zealand. It spreads by seed and isn’t fussy where it grows. You never know when you may need to use it and it one of our treasures that is freely available for everyone. The one in the photograph I took just now was over in the neighbours yard.

There are two main types - Plantago major has wide rounded leaves, with a flowering spike covered with small seeds whereas Plantago lanceolata has longer, slender pointed ribbed leaves and a flowering stem, with a mostly bald head except for a light ring of tiny flowers on the top. They both have the same medicinal uses.

It has the ability to draw poison from a wound - and particularly effect for treatment of insect bites and bee stings. It can be used on sunburn, rashes, stinging nettle, mouth sores, cuts, splinters, blisters and more.

It moisturises the skin and is one of the most effective anti-itching herbal plant remedies you can get. I use it as a base in one of our soaps, a SOS skin balm and in our herbal hair rinse. I adore the plant.

*DISCLAIMER Make the time to identify the plant correctly and learn more prior to using it. Please consume wild plants at your own risk and remember to find a plant that would not of been sprayed or had a dog pee on it!